BVSD graduation rates rise for fifth straight year

The Colorado Department of Education recently released graduation and dropout data for the state. I am pleased to report the overall rate for students in the Boulder Valley School District who graduated on time in 2015 is 92.3 percent, increasing for the fifth straight year. Statewide graduation rates for 2015 were at 77.3 percent. BVSD has considerably improved its on-time graduation rate from 84.7 percent in 2010 to its current 92.3 percent. Boulder Valley has the highest graduation rate of the top 20 largest school districts. Limited English Proficient, Economically Disadvantaged and Homeless all had an increases in their graduation rates. The dropout rate in Boulder Valley remains the lowest of the top ten largest school districts in Colorado.

Improvement in the graduation rate is the result of very intentional efforts to address student needs as early as possible. By providing prompt individualized support, students are more likely to experience success in school. Employees/educators in every school are committed to increasing student success which makes all the difference.

Boulder Valley has significantly improved credit recovery programming in all schools. Educators work to reach students who are in danger of failing and help them learn the content/skills. Students are able to restore class credits by utilizing various alternative programs during the school year and in the summer.

Counseling is an integral part of appropriate and early intervention for students. BVSD has secured additional resources to help with this effort, specifically the Colorado School Counseling corps grant and other sources, targeted to assist high-risk students through personalized intervention.  

Boulder Valley School District is committed to increasing success of all students and prepare them for life after high school. The district strategic plan, The Success Effect, will enhance services and opportunities in the future fostering student success. Boulder Valley schools are exceptional because talented employees/educators are working in partnership with families and community to provide exceptional learning opportunities for all children.

Researching the ideal school day for all BVSD students

The Ideal School Day Task Force met throughout 2015 to develop a plan that maximizes success for all students using time as a variable and asset. The task force, formed under the auspices of a memorandum of understanding between the Boulder Valley School District Board of Education and the Boulder Valley Education Association, aligned its work with the district strategic plan.

Members of the task force included teachers from different levels and disciplines as well as parents and school administrators. The group was co-facilitated by Lynn Jackson, Boulder Valley Education Association, and Sandy Ripplinger, Assistant Superintendent.

District administrators are analyzing the task force recommendations, including potential logistical issues and costs, before presenting them to the Board of Education and me. We will determine early this semester which recommendations could be implemented in 2016-17 and which need further study. The recommendations under consideration are:

• Length of school day – Although contract time remains consistent for teachers at all levels, the task force recommends a 7-hour instructional day for elementary and middle school students and a 7.5-hour instructional day for high school students.
• Later start times for high schools – All high schools should have a later start time.
• District-wide K-5 rotation model with art, music and physical education – Ensure that students have 55-minute classes in each special, which increases time for art education.
• District-wide fifth grade instrumental music – The task force received additional proposals late in the process, so the district plans to continue studying this issue. No changes will be made for the 2016-17 school year to give us more time to develop a strategy that addresses the needs and desires of our students, staff and community.
  
  A representative group – general and instrumental music teachers, classroom teachers, counselors, parents, and school and district administration – will convene to review current models and propose a model that will better meet the needs of all students.
  
  We will continue to be guided by the work of the 2010-11 Elementary Specials Task Force, which adopted four principles:

1. Help students grow into well-rounded, healthy adults (based on current medical and educational research)
2. Provide equal time amongst the specials (Music, Instrumental Music, PE and Art)
3. Provide adequate time to teach the Guaranteed and Viable Curriculum
4. Maintain four content areas (Music, Instrumental Music, PE and Art)

• Analysis of middle school day and schedule – Formation of an Ideal Middle Level Day Task Force to investigate and recommend models that support students and foster optimal growth.
• Preschool day – Increase preschool to three hours.
• Board-approved regulation ADF-R on Wellness Physical Activity – Full implementation of the policy including a full 25 minutes for lunch and daily recess at elementary schools of at least 40 minutes.
• Universal breakfast – Provide breakfast during the school day.
• Time for teacher collaboration – All schools should have professional learning time for teachers outside of the instructional time for students but inside the contract time for teachers. 

I am pleased with the commitment of the task force members and thank them for their hard work to resolve complex problems with our current schedules that will enhance opportunities for success for all Boulder Valley students.

If you wish to provide feedback on these recommendations, please visit our Ideal School Day website.

Happy New Year!

Welcome back to the 2015-16 school year. I hope everyone had a restful and rejuvenating Winter Break.

As students return to school and begin second semester, school and district staff continue work on numerous initiatives supporting student success. Priority action plans are being implemented supporting the district strategic plan, The Success Effect. Phase one planning is well underway on the new bond construction and innovation work. The Board of Education and administration will begin developing the 2016-17 budget. Information describing the Colorado state student assessment will be distributed later this month.

The 2016 Colorado legislative session will begin January 13. This is an optimal time to work with legislators to secure adequate funding for public education. Underfunding public schools in Colorado is having a negative impact on schools, teachers and students throughout the state. BVSD has lost $175M since 2009 due to underfunding and the governor’s proposed budget will result in over $30M additional loss of funds.

If funding from the state had kept pace with inflation and enrollment growth since 2009, BVSD would be able to provide additional services for students including district-wide full-day kindergarten, implementing a comprehensive literacy program, and hiring more school counselors, nurses and teachers. For details, view this handout about The Cost of Education Student Services at BVSD.

Following are a few websites that provide information on organizations working on school funding and related issues.

• Great Education Colorado - an excellent advocacy organization for parents and educators http://www.greateducation.org/
• Colorado School Finance Project - BVSD is an active member of this organization. You can find a lot of information on this website and search TABOR on the site to find specific information. http://www.cosfp.org/
• Colorado Fiscal Institute - another excellent resource and we will be asking them to provide a presentation to the BVSD community after the first of the year. http://www.coloradofiscal.org/
• Colorado Futures Center at Colorado State University - provides vital research and analysis of public policies impacting Colorado’s future and quality of life. It has helpful information about TABOR. http://coloradofutures.colostate.edu/

I encourage all parents, students and staff to contact the governor and legislators to remind them of the importance of public education and encourage them to provide adequate funding. Legislators whose districts are wholly or partially within the boundaries of our school district are listed on the BVSD website. A full directory of members of the Colorado General Assembly is on the state’s website.

I’m looking forward to a great start for the new year!